Horary Astrology and the Art of Relationships

Andrew J. Bevan, a Norwegian professional astrologer, has been invited as a special guest by the Romanian Association of Astrology at its 20th Congress held from 7 to 9 October 2016 in Bucharest. Andrew has studied and practiced astrology for over 30 years, his main interests being horary and mundane astrology. He has published numerous papers in scientific journals, including the well-known magazine of the Astrological Association of Great Britain, “The Mountain Astrologer”, on widely acknowledged sites for their accuracy, as Deborah Houlding’s site skyscript.co.uk is, and many veracious prediction studies. Go to http://www.astronor.com/

Dear friends and associates of the Romanian Association of Astrology,

I have proudly accepted the invitation to come and share a weekend with you in the second week of October, speaking at your annual conference on a subject favourite to us all, namely the topic of Astrology. Prior to the event itself, I have been asked whether I could participate with two articles for your astrological journal. This seems like an Excellent Idea! Even though Mercury is currently Retrograde!! This will give the opportunity warm up in terms of what we will be looking at during our oncoming conference meeting. We will get to know each other a little ahead of the event. You can get accustomed to my way of thinking, and we can all get excited. You might begin to form ideas of what your want to get out of your participation at this course and workshop, and begin to gather charts and questions you want resolved. So let’s gather our materials and then move ahead!

The titles of our talks at the workshop are 1) “Horary Astrology and the Art of Relationships”, and 2) “The Age Point – Your Key to the Horoscope”. During our time together we will be examining both topics separately, but also demonstrating how Horary and Age Point Astrology work side by side when dealing with clients. The Age Point Technique was actually something that I stumbled over in old classical texts while studying Olivia Barclay’s Qualifying Course of Horary Astrology (QHP) in 1985-86, and a technique that I take pride in having developed. And you will have the benefit of other 30 years experience from practising the technique, but where I have been more busy with dealing with clients than writing books.

There are two basics points to keep in mind when working with the astrological; 1) Keep it simple! 2) It is always the strongest line in the chart that works! So when you do have a chart in front of you, don’t try to cram everything in. One of the beauties of horary astrology is narrowing your focus down to a limited number of significators. And the idea with the Age Point Technique is being able to read the chart as it stands, fast and simple – without getting lost in all the additional calculations. Classical astrology may seem mysterious at first, but this is because some terms are new to us and we don’t know how to use it. But I will try to explain things in a down to Earth manner, and first of foremost my astrology is an Event-Oriented type of astrology. You are who you are because of events that happened on the way to your process of becoming, prior to birth. The birth moment summons all those influences leading up to this moment. This forms your inner psychological structure as shown by the chart, but this is again spread out in time and space, which describes those opportunities and challenges lay open to you along your life path! And using your birth chart correctly gives you a greater opportunity of getting it right! In terms of Horary Astrology, events tend to circle around any given moment, so a question does not break the surface of the conscious mind (the question being introduced to the astrologer), without the ripples being shown in both past and future.

“Horary Astrology and the Art of Relationships”

When dealing with Horary Astrology and matters of relationships, there are basically three types of relationships;

1) 7th house relationships – partners who are always there, who you share a flat, children, bills and everyday responsibilities with.
2) 5th house relationships – lovers, sweethearts, people who you are meeting or dating in an uncommitting basis. “Would you like to go to the movies, out for a meal or come along and have fun?” “Now I’ve got the time, Now I want to, Now I don’t, Now I’m busy and occupied elsewhere.” There is a great difference in the 5th house relationships, in comparison to the 7th house relationships, because in the 5th house relationships there is an “On and Off” button.
3) 11th house relationships – friends. These relationships are great because they never let you down. Sometimes when working with a horary chart and the prospects of a relationship, you have the possibility of shifting the focus in the chart from the 7th house to the 5th house, or from the 7th house to the 11th house, or from the 5th house to the 11th house. This always gives you some working space in terms of giving things time to work themselves out.
4) There are also those more sneaky relationships that relate to the 12th house, and that reminds a little bit of the 5th house. It is the potential affair. You don’t quite know whether it is something beyond reach, a situation of self-undoing, whether it is an opportunity you are supposed to take responsibility for, or a situation that will fly by, remaining nothing but a wet dream.

Mutual receptions

In our workshop we will be looking at various ways in which a relationship can be either granted or prohibited, but in addition to what might be called a regular application between significators (or a translation or collection of light, which involves a third party), one of my favourite topics must be that of mutual reception. If you are familiar with Ptolemy’s table of essential dignities, you will know that essential dignities can be gathered by Sign, Exaltation, Triplicity, Terms or Face.

Mutual reception by Sign is strong. Reception by Exaltation is fierce, and wherever the exaltations are involved we will discover there is something extra-ordinary involved. When there is reception by Triplicity there is always resources and a circle of friends. Now with reception by Face, there is a physical chemistry and natural attraction present, enough for an affair, but probably not enough for a relationship. If there is reception by Term, then the two people know how to get along with one another, have mutual interests, and this may be enough for a lasting relationship.

Planetary hours, Radical and Fit to be Judged?

In William Lilly’s work, whether a chart was radical and fit to be judged, was always the first consideration in every chart. We don’t want to get too complicated on this matter, but if we can explain it in a simple manner then the question of radicality will often provide a simple ‘yes/no’ to the horary in front of you. Radicality is decided according to the relationship between the Lord/Lady of the Hour and the Radical Ascendant and its Ruler. The basic idea is that if the Lord of the Hour is essentially dignified in the Ascendant, the chart is radical. In its simplest form, it is the Hour of Jupiter and Sagittarius is rising – the chart is radical. The chart may also be radical if there is friendship between the Lord of the Hour and the ruler of the Ascendant, i.e. it is the Hour of the Sun and Scorpio is on the Ascendant. The chart is radical because the Sun and Mars (the traditional ruler of Scorpio) share the same powers, they are both hot and dry, proving them friends. I never discarded a chart do to the lack of radicality, but if the chart was not radical matters weren’t always working the right way. The moment was out of tune, there was a problem and the question lead to a situation of unhappiness.

We should discuss this issue more during our course, but please recognize that combinations involving the Moon, Venus and Jupiter are easiest to get along with. In mixes combining the Moon, Mercury, Mars and Saturn, there is more like a problem or corruption in store. The influence of the Sun is more neutral in this context, tends to make things bulky and important, but not necessarily fruitful or easy. The Moon is fruitful, but her situation is totally influenced by the planet she is blending with. With Mars there is mostly a conflict or an infection describing the situation. Mercury and Saturn are sterile in their design, and better suited questions relating to property and business – rather than matters of the heart.

An example chart

I just want to show you a chart I have been working with recently. You should be expecting some better chart examples when we get together in October, but it might serve its purpose and give us a starting-point for when we meet. The chart involves a married woman who has questions regarding a new attraction, and the chart is cast for my place at the time I received her telephone call. The time and date is April 4. 2016, 15.43 CEST, location Asker, near Oslo, Norway, 59N50, 10E26. House system: Regiomontanus.

The question is asked on the Day of the Moon. The Planetary Hour is shifting from the Moon to Saturn, but because the Sun is on the cusp of the 9th house in the Regiomontanus house system, I am letting the Moon perform as the Lady of the Hour. She has no essentially dignities on the Virgo Ascendant by Day (she rules the Earth triplicity by night), so the chart is not radical in this sense. Mercury is the natural ruler of Virgo and there is always a conflict or some controversy when Mercury mixes with the Moon (“Mercury corrupts the Moon”). Look here – the woman is married. However, Moon who is Lady of the Hour is on the cusp of the 7th house and in an opposition aspect to the Ascendant. Olivia Barclay, among others, says that when the ruler of the Hour aspects the Ascendant, this proves the chart radical. Where the opposition is involved, the chart will work once the gap is solved.

Now, the querent is represented by the Ascendant, the ruler who is Mercury, and any planet in the 1st house, where we find Jupiter. Mercury is rather uselessly positioned, Void of Course in the end of Aries, and in a cadent house, the 9th. At best she may be considering leaving her marriage and straying out at this stage, since the 9th house represents marriages that are legalized by law. Yet I would say that some lecturing was involved in terms of this relationship, but Mercury is without essential dignity and in such a condition does not provide an answer as regards to where things are bearing.

Jupiter, however, is located in his own terms in Virgo in the first house, and a planet that is essentially dignified in a sign, even though Jupiter is detrimented (!!), will take control in this place upon the absence of the ruler, or weakness of the Lord thereof. So Jupiter is important and we note that Jupiter is ruler of the 7th house of relationships, and when the ruler of the 7th is in the 1st, this is an indication of the approval of the other part. The person signified by the 7th house will come to meet the querent, signified by the Ascendant.

Back to the Moon. She is co-significator in every question, and located on the cusp of the 7th this is a question regarding relationships. She is in Pisces, who is a multiple and vulnerable sign, split in different directions and into different worlds. The fact that she is Lady of the Hour and angular is a testimony that approves her feelings will be reciprocated. And the Moon is Lady of the 11th house of friendship, relief and protection. This means that the querent has nothing to fear and she will be safe. When the ruler of the 11th house is involved, there is always a solution or possibility to discuss things in a friendly and amicable fashion.

Now the Moon does move to the square of Mars. This does have the potential of destroying something or causing a scandal. Mars rules the cusp of the 5th house by exaltation and is located in the 4th, secretly intercepted in the sign of Sagittarius. Where interceptions are involved, things either play out behind the scenes (on an island, or behind closed doors), or they pop out into the open with full thrust and cause a suprise. Because Mars rules the 5th house by exaltation, there is something urgent or extra-ordinary about this affair, and it is likely to terminate her current home and family situation. Yet, notice that the Moon is in the triplicity of Mars (Mars rules the triplicity of water by both day and night), and when a planet applies to its dispositor there is always a solution after a struggle. Whenever the triplicities are involved there are always resources present and a circle of friends. One of the main issues here is how the husband will be able to take over the family house, if the marriage is dissolved – but there will be a way where several people are standing together.

The client called me on May 13 and informed me that an intimate relationship had been entered with this new person. Feelings were mutual, yet the other person had said to the woman that she would have to sort out her marriage and leave her husband if the relationship was due to have a future. This was a first time happening and a new experience for the querent in terms of relationships. Note that Mercury and Virgo, who relate to the Ascendant, are neutral by gender – and the Moon, who is Lady of both Day and Hour, is angular on the cusp of the 7th house and in a feminine sign. The other person was a woman – and a relationship to a person of the same gender as the querent was entered. The End.